no, we have houses. But they aren't as nice as yours here in
Pineville," said the ranchman. "I have a house to myself where I live
with Captain Roy, and there is another house where the cowboys live.
Then there is still another house where they eat their meals. This has a
lot of big windows in it that can be opened wide on a hot day."

"Who is Captain Roy?" asked Russ. "Is he an old soldier, like Jerry
Simms?"

"Yes, Captain Robert Roy used to be in the United States army," answered
Uncle Fred. "He is retired now, and he helps me at the ranch. He is a
partner of mine, and he looks after things while I am away. You six
little Bunkers will like him, for he loves children."

"I wish we could hurry up and get out there!" sighed Russ.

"Well, I think the best place for my little chickens to hurry to
is--_bed_!" laughed Mother Bunker. "Go to bed now, and morning will soon
come, so we can talk about going to Uncle Fred's."

The children did not want to go to bed, but they always minded their
mother, unless they forgot and did something she had told them not to.
But this time there was no chance to forget.

"Good night, Uncle Fred!" they called, one after another, as they
trooped upstairs.

Norah went with Mun Bun and Margy to see that they were properly
undressed and covered up. Uncle Fred stayed downstairs to talk with
Daddy and Mother Bunker.

He was telling them about the strange spring on his ranch, in which the
water sometimes ran out in the night, no one knew where, and he was
speaking about his cattle having been taken away, when suddenly Laddie
called from upstairs:

"Mother, make Russ stop!"

"I'm not doing anything, Mother!" answered the voice of Russ, quickly
enough.

"He is so!" went on Laddie. "He's playing he's a cowboy, and he says
I've got to be an Indian, and he's going to lasso me with the sheet off
the bed."

"Well, I didn't do it--not yet--did I?" asked Russ.

"No, but you're going to!"

"I am not!"

"You are so! You said you were."

"Well, I said I would if you'd let me."

"And I won't let you! I want to go to sleep so morning will come quick,
and we can go to Uncle Fred's," went on Laddie. "I can think of some new
riddles there."

"Boys! Boys! Be quiet and go to sleep!" called Mr. Bunker.

And, after a little more talk, Laddie and Russ settled down in bed and
nothing more was heard of them until morning.

"Is Uncle Fred here?" eagerly asked Rose, when she came downstairs to
br